Trump administration seeks to delay order to accept transgender recruits

Source: Politico

By JACQUELINE KLIMAS 12/07/2017 11:12 AM EST

The Trump administration has asked a federal court for an emergency stay to delay a court order to begin opening the military to transgender recruits by Jan. 1.

The move is the latest development in a complicated legal battle over President Donald Trump's order earlier this year that transgender personnel be banned from the ranks — a policy the Pentagon is currently studying how to best carry out.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia earlier this year ordered the government to halt the administration's ban on transgender troops while a series of legal challenges unfold.

Specifically, it ruled the Pentagon had to return to the Obama-era policy allowing transgender recruits, in addition to those personnel already serving. It was one of two federal courts to temporarily halt the ban.